Newman Millhollon-Turner

I became an ordained minister online because I did not feel called to go through the traditional channels that often measure faith by institutional approval. My calling was never about earning a title, it was about meeting people where they are. I grew up surrounded by ministers and missionaries, so I already knew the work of ministry was not about status or structure. It was about service. My friend Lyla helped me see that ordination could be a doorway, not a destination. Through her insight and encouragement, I discovered that being ordained online gave me the ability to serve legally and openly, without having to compromise my authenticity or beliefs. It allowed me to walk in alignment with how God has always led me, through compassion, clarity, and presence.

I was born in Ontario, California, into a family of Christian ministers. That made me a preacher’s kid first, and later a missionary’s kid when my parents took their ministry to Belize, Central America. Growing up there shaped my faith in ways no classroom ever could. I learned how faith meets reality when you live among people who depend on community, prayer, and practical help every day. I returned to the United States when I was twenty-one, met the love of my life, and we have been together now for forty-nine years. We spent two decades in San Bernardino and later made our home in Highland, California. For the past twenty-five years, I have lived and served in the Mountain communities along Highway 38, including Mountain Home Village, Forest Falls, and Angelus Oaks. This region has become the living ground of my ministry and the heart of my calling.

My online ordination has helped me serve people in ways that feel natural and real. It has allowed me to officiate funerals and celebrations of life from a place of helpful addition, not authority. I do not step in to take over, I step in to support. Families should always be the heartbeat of their own memorials, and I see my role as helping them express love, grief, and remembrance in a way that feels sacred but not stiff. Beyond that, ordination opened the door for me to do deeper work, guiding people through grief, mindfulness, and spiritual alignment. It allowed me to bring together all that I have learned as a listener, healer, and creative soul. Through it, I have been able to walk beside others in their pain and in their becoming, without the walls of denomination, judgment, or performance.

For me, ministry is not a stage or a spotlight. It is a circle of presence where faith becomes felt and people remember they are not alone.

My background is Pentecostal, though I have never been an ordained minister within that denomination. I follow what God leads in my life, which means I try to live with respect for others, even when they believe differently. I do not think I know everything, and I never wanted to. Faith for me has always been about learning, growing, and being open to seeing myself clearly before I look too closely at others.

I try to keep all interactions in perspective and never take them for granted. I love people, even if my quiet moments sometimes come across as grumpy to those who don’t know me. The truth is, when I commit to something, I take it seriously. I follow through with care and intention, always doing my best to make sure what I offer meets the real need of the moment.

I bring calm, humor, and a touch of sarcasm to my ceremonies. I believe a good laugh can do more than ease tension; it can stir something inside us that needs to shift. Sometimes it makes people a little uncomfortable, and that’s not a bad thing. Growth and truth often begin where comfort ends. I’m not formal or polished in the “churchy” way, and I don’t try to be. I show up as myself, the way God created me, and that allows others to do the same.

I prefer to stay local in the mountain communities along Highway 38, including Mountain Home Village, Forest Falls, and Angelus Oaks. I am open to traveling if expenses are covered, but my preference is to serve close to home where I can stay connected and grounded in the community I love.

I specialize in grief support and spiritual guidance. My focus is on helping people find clarity, comfort, and balance when life feels heavy or uncertain. I work one-on-one and in small groups, offering a space where people can be real about what they are feeling. I also provide house blessings and spiritual healing sessions that center on peace and personal connection. I see ministry as an act of walking with people, not talking at them.

I charge a modest fee that helps cover my time, materials, and travel costs. I do not do this work to make money, but I also believe that fair compensation honors the time, energy, and preparation that meaningful service requires. Every situation is different, and I do my best to keep things affordable and realistic for the families or individuals involved.